There obviously was no form of communication outside of "word of
mouth" when the first settlers came into Scioto Township.
Neighbors kept each other informed and going to church
on Sunday meant getting about as much news as you got religion.

U.S. POST
OFFICE

The U.S.
Post Office established a post office at the Scioto Bridge on
June 6, 1837. Prior to this, mail would have been directed to
Delaware and it could be months before you received this mail as the
Scioto River was impassable during the Winter thaws and Spring
rains.

TELEGRAPH

With the construction of the railroad
came the telegraph. People could now communicate with other
communities.

TELEPHONE

Frank
Coe, in his history of
Ostrander, states "Information as to telephone service
in the community is very meager to date. The Citizens
Telephone Co. of Delaware extended service to this community
probably between 1900 and 1903. In 1906 the Ostrander
Telephone Co. was organized and further construction took
place. Among those interested in this project were Dr. A.J.
Pounds, E.B. Bean and J.A. Hays. The first telephone office
was on the second floor of what is now the bank building. The
office was later removed to what was then Dr. Pounds' office, second
house west of the bank building which is now occupied by Mr. and
Mrs. W.E. Benton. The office remained in that location until
Feb. 13, 1942, when the dial system was installed by the North Ohio
Telephone Co. who several years before had taken over the stock and
properties of the Ostrander Telephone Company. Among the
"chief operators" who had charge of the office were Ada
Mackan, Mrs. Wilbur Pennell, Dale Bovey Latimer, and Pearl Coe who
has transferred to the Delaware office at the discontinuance of this
office."

NEWSPAPER

W.H. Baker, founder and publisher
of the Ostrander Magnet, declared his intentions and the need for
communication in his Editorial which appeared in the first, and only
known edition, of the Ostrander Magnet.

Ostrander Magnet, May 1, 1896, Editorial
"The Magnet has come to the town of Ostrander for the
purpose of securing a permanent location. The editor has come along
with it; in fact brought it, in embryo, along with him. We have
longed for a permanent home somewhere near the banks of the "Old
Scioto," to our county of educational and agricultural fame; and
found no place more fitting, nor more to our liking as a place
"home like," than the beautiful town of Ostrander.
Surrounded by excellent farm land and some of the noblest of the sons of
toil, and having as her citizens some of the noblest and truest of
humanity; temperate and religious; Ostrander ought, with her many 1,000
inhabitants, to have a medium of communication through which her energetic
merchants and tradesman can call the attention of the good
people...."

Our copy is difficult to read, but we'll continue with the
end of the Editorial where Mr. Baker tells us under what circumstances he
would print additional editions.

"We have excellent facilities in the job line and a
good job printer, consequently can do your work good and reasonable.
We put out a good supply of sample papers this issue, and if we receive
proper encouragement in subscriptions and advertising contracts, we shall
issue, each Friday, The Ostrander Magnet, at the subscription rate
of one dollar per year, invariably in advance. We are here to stay,
providing the people wish it, and "money talks." With the foregoing
statement and pledges, we make our bow and ask you to come in
and see us - and subscribe for the Magnet - which will give you the
news from both Delaware and Union counties, as far as is possible to get
items, and all other state and general news we can collect."